An oriented film of a noble metal is currently attracting attention, for controlling an orientation of a recording layer in a vertical magnetic recording medium for the next generation, or as an electrode layer or an undercoat layer for controlling an orientation of a ferroelectric oxide in a ferroelectride oxide device. In particular, a (001) oriented layer of Pt, Pd or Ir is considered important.
However, it is already known that a thin film of such noble metals tends to show the (111) orientation in a sputtering method usually executed at the room temperature and in the argon atmosphere, regardless of the substrate material. Consequently it is difficult to easily obtain a (001) oriented film of a noble metal.
There have been found several ways to obtain a (001) oriented noble metal film. A non-patent reference 1 (Kenji Iijima et al., J. Appl. Phys., 60(1), p. 361, 1 Jul. 1986) describes that a Pt (001) oriented film can be obtained on a MgO (001) substrate by elevating the substrate temperature to 600° C. and adding oxygen by 50% in an argon gas used as a sputtering gas.
However, the aforementioned technology relating to the oriented film requires to elevate the substrate temperature in the manufacturing process. Therefore the present invention provides a novel oriented film and a production method thereof, not requiring a high temperature of the substrate.